News from December 2016
Man alleges Rooms To Go does not add protective treatment to furniture
RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – A North Carolina consumer has filed a class action lawsuit against a furniture company over allegations it did not add a treatment to protect furniture from spills as promised.
Customer alleges Speedway charged $125 authorization hold on cards without warning
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) – A consumer has filed a class action lawsuit against a gas station chain over allegations that it made unauthorized charges to customers' debit or credit cards at point-of-sale gasoline pumps.
Attorneys for plaintiffs in lawsuit brought over DOL ‘persuader rule’ seek nearly $480,000 in fees
Houston law firm Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Steward PC, Lubbock firm Bustos Law Firm PC and El Paso firm Kemp Smith LLP are hoping to recover a maximum of $479,834.50 in fees, but said in their motion they also would accept $323,442.63 or $222,645, depending on the rate used by the Texas federal court.
Cyber security expert: More companies require ‘reasonable security’
DENVER (Legal Newsline) -- David Willson, a retired Army officer, attorney and currently owner of Titan Info Security Group, travels the country, educating CEOs and executives on how to assess and protect their companies from data breaches, which have become increasingly common in recent years.
FCC implements new act to protect consumers from 'robotexts'
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Telephone Consumer Protection Act now covers text message senders. The Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau is clarifying the limitations on auto-dialed text messages, more commonly known as “robotexts.”
New York's highest court affirms licensing requirement for Indian Point nuclear power facility
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released a statement Nov. 21 regarding the New York Court of Appeals’ decision to affirm a licensing requirement for the Indian Point nuclear power facility.
EPA and DoJ announce a $9 million settlement over Asheville Superfund Site
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice announced Nov. 22 that CTS Corp., Mills Gap Road Associates and Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. will spend roughly $9 million on an interim cleanup at the CTS of Asheville Inc. Superfund Site in Asheville, North Carolina.
ACS Education Services to pay $2.4 million after allegations of deceptions with student loans
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Nov. 22 that ACS Education Services (ACS) will pay $2.4 million after allegations it failed to properly process struggling Massachusetts students’ applications for federal repayment plans intended to lower monthly payments.
FTC, Justice Department warn FERC of evolving electricity markets
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division announced Nov. 28 the submission of a comment to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding market power in wholesale electricity markets.
Consumer bureau warns financial companies of mismanaged employee incentive programs
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a bulletin Nov. 28 warning supervised financial companies that creating incentives for employees and service providers to meet sales and other business goals can lead to consumer harm if not properly managed.
Adapt Pharma to freeze public interest price of overdose drug
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) — Adapt Pharma will freeze the public interest price for its naxalone nasal spray in Ohio over the next year, state Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Nov. 25.
Bechtel, AECOM, URS Energy must pay $125 million to settle allegations of false claims
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Nov. 23 that Bechtel National Inc., Bechtel Corp., URS Corp. (predecessor in interest to AECOM Global II LLC) and URS Energy and Construction Inc. (now known as AECOM Energy and Construction Inc.) will pay $125 million after False Claims Act violation allegations.
Justice Department targets Chicago suburb, alleging Fair Housing Act violations
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced a lawsuit Nov. 23 against the village of Tinley Park, Illinois, over allegations the Chicago suburb violated the Fair Housing Act by not approving a low-income housing development after race-based opposition.
Boston Insulation allegedly violates state wage laws, must pay $111,000 in restitution
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Nov. 22 that Boston Insulation Corporation and its president, Antonio J. Souza Jr., must pay $111,177 after allegations of failing to pay employees the proper prevailing wage, failing to submit accurate certified payroll records and failing to keep accurate general payroll records.
Consumer bureau targets Access Funding for alleged lead-paint poisoning scam
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Nov. 21 the filing of a complaint in federal district court against Access Funding LLC, alleging the company conducted an illegal scheme to scam victims of lead-paint poisoning.
FTC grants Gilbarco exemption for size of ethanol disclosures at retail sites
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Nov. 29 that it has granted Gilbarco Inc. and other ethanol flex fuel retailers a partial exemption to its Fuel Rating Rule labeling requirements.
EPA announces 10 chemicals it will examine for risk to humans
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Nov. 29 the first 10 chemicals it plans to evaluate for potential risks to human health and the environment under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform.
Wells Fargo wants plaintiffs in class action over sales practices to submit claims to arbitration
The bank filed its motion to compel and a 16-page memorandum in support in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division, Nov. 23.
After NLRB gives job back to man fired for racism, appeal follows
ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is preparing to hear the appeal of a company being forced to rehire a striking employee who was fired for yelling racist comments at replacement workers.
Rising slack fill lawsuits test function of packaging
CLAYTON, Mo. (Legal Newsline) -- Is at a matter of "more is less" or "what you see is what you get?"